Framed in Mahogany

The story of the Mahogany wood frames.

Each of my paintings in Spandrel Spaces: The Art of In-between is being framed in genuine mahogany wood, salvaged from trees that fell in urban areas during Hurricane Maria. These weren’t forest trees but street trees—once lining neighborhoods, plazas, and avenues across Puerto Rico. When the storm brought them down, they could have been lost to landfills; most were.  What we have rescued, we have milled and made available, and given a new life through the work of Puerto Rico Hardwoods.

This mahogany (Swietenia spp.), is not only rich in character—it’s one of the most coveted hardwoods in the world, known for its durability, deep color, and historical significance in fine furniture and art. It grows really well in Puerto Rico and is one of the hardwoods planted at the sustainable forestry project I have been with for over 20 years.

Using this locally sourced mahogany adds a layer of meaning to the paintings, embedding them with a tangible connection to place, time, and memory. By framing my work in this wood, I’m not just choosing beauty; I’m grounding each painting in a specific moment of upheaval and transformation.

The wood carries the scars and history of the storm, and in its new form the frames become part of the narrative—silent witnesses to the force of the hurricane and the quiet, enduring act of renewal.

This is also a gesture of sustainability and respect. Rather than harvesting live trees, I am working with what nature has already relinquished. These frames reflect an ethic of care—for the materials, the island, and the stories that emerge in the aftermath of catastrophe.

(Each painting is $1,600 on its own, and an extra $400 if you would like a handmade mahogany frame.)

Thank you, William Davidowski and Joerg Jahn, for your amazing woodworking!